Label dispenser

ABSTRACT

A label dispenser which utilizes an infrared radiator and sensor which is phased and modulated so as to discriminate from ambient light and which has a movable peel bar which can be adjusted for labels of different lengths such that as the labels are removed the machine will automatically advance the next label. The machine is capable of taking labels of varying widths.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates in general to an automatic label dispenser.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is often necessary to provide labels on various items and prior artlabel dispensers have utilized foot switches which were operated by theoperator or, by microswitches which are actuated so as to dispense thenext label.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a completely automatic label dispenserfor use in photo labs, mailers, hospitals, microfilm labs, retail storesand any business using self-adhesive labels and is capable of dispensingself-adhesive labels up to three by three inches. High technologyelectronics integrated circuits and infrared sensing are used in thelabel dispenser to automatically dispense the labels. It dispenses theentire range of self-adhesive labels from small photo print check labelsto labels up to three by three inches.

The label dispenser dispenses, peels and separates labels from thecarrier paper and advances subsequent labels automatically. The fullyadjustable peel bar enables precise adjustment for labels of all sizes.The paper backing from the dispensed labels is neatly wound away fromthe operator for subsequent removal from the machine.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the following description of certain preferred embodimentsthereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings althoughvariations and modifications may be effected without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the label dispenser of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the motor drive for the take-upreel;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the adjustable peel bar andinfrared transmitter and receiver;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the adjustable peel bar; and

FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic illustrating the circuit of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates the automatic label dispenser 10 of the inventionwhich comprises a case with a front cover 11 and side walls 12 and 13. Areel 17 of carrier paper with labels attached thereto is mounted on ashaft 19 and an adjustable plate 22 is formed with an opening throughwhich the shaft 19 extends and a second opening through which thetake-up shaft 21 extends and a collar 23 can be adjusted by the thumbscrew 4 to adjust the width for the width of the labels 25. The paper 24and labels 25 pass from the reel 17 over a peel bar 26 mounted on thefront cover 11 and the labels 25 separate from the paper 24 which thenpasses to take-up reel 21 mounted on take-up shaft 18. The take-up shaft21 is driven by motor 50 through a gear reduction 51 as illustrated inFIG. 3 which has an output shaft 52 which is attached to shaft 21 by asuitable set screw 80 and a collar 53 is mounted between the shaft 21and the front wall 11 as illustrated. Stand-offs 56 and 57 support thegear reduction 51 and the motor 50 as shown. The paper 24 comprises abacking ribbon.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the adjustable peel bar 26 comprises abracket 33 with upwardly extending ends 31 and 32 which rotatablysupports shaft 27 which has a knurled knob 29 on its outer end thereof.A flexible covering 28 as, for example, of rubber or other suitablematerial covers the shaft 27. The shaft 27 comprises a guide shaft. Thebracket 33 has a front edge 35 illustrated in FIG. 1 and from this pointthe labels 25 extend outwardly generally horizontal as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2 and the paper 24 passes to the take-up reel 21. Anadjustable bracket 60 passes through a slot 34 which is generallyhorizontal in the front panel 11 and the bracket 60 has a front portion61 on the outside of the case of the label dispenser which carries thebracket 31 and the adjustable peel bar 26. A shaft 66 extends throughthe side wall 12 of the case and carries a knob 46 as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 5. The shaft 66 is rotatably supported in a bracket 70 whichhas end portions 71 and 72 connected to the plate 11 and the bracket 60,61 is driven when the knob 46 is rotated so as to turn shaft 66 to movethe peel bar 26 to the left or right relative to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 so asto adjust for the length of a particular label.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an on-off switch 42 and an indicator light 40is mounted on the front panel 11 of the label dispenser 10. An infraredtransmitter 44 is mounted on the front panel 11 as shown in FIGS. 1 and2 and an infrared detector 43 is mounted below the label 25 so as tointercept infrared energy transmitted by the radiator 44 when a label 25is not in the path of the radiation between the transmitter 44 and thedetector 43. Power cord 14 with a plug-in plug 16 supplies power to theunit.

FIG. 6 comprises an electrical schematic and illustrates a pair of powerterminals 101 and 102 and the switch 42 which can be connected to oneterminal of the motor 50 and to the indicator light 40 so as to applypower to the light 40. The other side of the motor is connected to asuitable electronic switch such as a thyristor Q2 which is in parallelwith a capacitor C5 and a resistor R13. A resistor R14 is connected fromthe gate of the thyristor Q2 and the terminal 102. The second side ofthe motor is connected to the capacitor and the thyristor Q2 asillustrated. A ZVS switch 103 which might be a type 3030 has its outputconnected to the thyristor Q2 and to the gate and its input is connectedto a pair of resistors R11 and R12 and to the output of threecomparators 104, 105 and 106 which may be type 3302 for example. Acomparator 107 which may be a type 3302 provides inputs to thecomparators 104, 105, 106 through a resistor R8. The negative inputterminals of the comparators 104, 105 and 106 are connected to a lead 10which is connected by resistor R10 and capacitor C4 to the output of thecomparator 107 and through resistors R9 and R7 to the output of thecomparator 107.

The infrared detector 43a is connected across a resistor R6 and to lead108. Resistors R3, R5, R4 and capacitor C3 are connected to the positiveand negative inputs of comparator 107 as illustrated.

The timer 110 which might be a type 555 is connected to lead 108 and tothe infrared transmitter 44a and the resistor R2 as shown. The capacitorC2 is connected between terminals 2 and 1 of the timer 110. A capacitorC1 is connected between terminals 4 and 1 of the timer 110. Diode D3 isconnected from lead 108 to a secondary 111 of transformer T1 and theother side of secondary 111 is connected to lead 114. Secondary 112 isconnected from lead 114 to a diode D2 which has its other side connectedto lead 108. Primaries 116 and 117 are connected as shown.

In operation, a reel 17 of carrier paper 24 and labels 25 are mounted onthe pay-out reel shaft 19 and pass through the adjustable peel bar 26.The labels 25 are separated from the carrier paper 24 and the carrierpaper 24 is passed around take-up reel 21 which is driven by the motor50. The shaft 66 is adjusted by turning the knob 46 so that theextending edge of the label 25 intercepts the infrared radiationtransmitted by the transmitter 44 so that it does not impinge on thedetector 43. In operation, the operator removes the label 25 and placesit on a suitable package or envelope and as the label 25 is removed theinfrared radiation from the transmitter 44a passes to the detector 43awhich energizes through the comparators 107, 104, 105 and 106 the switch103 which turns on the thyristor Q2 so as to energize the motor 50 sothat it drives shaft 21 through the gear reduction 51. The motor 50continues to drive until the next label 25 extends outwardly from theedge 35 until it intercepts the infrared radiation between thetransmitter 44 and the detector 43. When this occurs, the switch 103turns off thyristor Q2 which stops the motor 50 until the next label hasbeen removed. The signal on the infrared transmitter 44a is modulatedwith a suitable frequency which is determined by the timer 110 and theresistors R1 and R2 and the capacitors C1 and C2 which eliminatesambient light from passing into the infrared detector 43 and energizingthe label dispenser. In other words, the modulation on the transmittedinfrared signal from the transmitter 44a energizes the label dispenserwhereas ambient light which might randomly pass into the detector 43 andwhich does not have the modulation on it will not energize the machine.

In a particular embodiment, capacitor C1 was a 500 microfarad, capacitorC2 was a 1 microfarad, capacitor C3 was a 0.1 microfarad, capacitor C4was a 1 microfarad and capacitor C5 was a 0.01 microfarad. The resistorR1 was 680 ohms, resistor R2 was 47 ohms, resistor R3 was 330 ohms,resistor R4 was 3.3k ohms, resistor R5 was 100k ohms, resistor R6 was10k ohms, resistor R7 was 10k ohms, resistor R8 was 100k ohms, resistorR9 was 200k ohms, resistor R10 was 200k ohms, resistor R11 was 200kohms, resistor R12 was 200k ohms, resistor R13 was 47 ohms one-half wattand resistor R14 was 1k ohm and resistor R15 was 47 ohms one-half watt.

It is seen that this invention provides an automatic label dispenserwherein the size of the label can be adjusted by moving the adjustablepeel bar 26 and also the plate 22 can be adjusted for different widthsof labels.

Although the invention has been described with respect to preferredembodiments, it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications canbe made which are within the full intended scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:
 1. An automatic label dispenser comprising, acase with at least one planar wall, a take-up shaft mounted on said oneplanar wall, drive means connected to said take-up shaft, a pay-outshaft mounted on said one planar wall for supporting and supplyingbacking ribbon with labels mounted thereon, a peel bar mounted on andextending out from said one planar wall and said backing ribbon andlabels passing thereby with the backing ribbon passing to said take-upshaft and said labels separated from said ribbon at said peel bar andextending therefrom, infrared transmitting and receiving means mountedon said one planar wall and said receiving means connected to said drivemeans and positioned such that a label will pass between saidtransmitting and receiving means to intercept the energy transmittedfrom said transmitting means to turn off said drive means, including aplanar member with openings receivable over said take-up shaft and saidpay-out shaft and means for locking said planar member at selecteddistances from said one planar wall, wherein said means for lockingcomprises a collar receivable over said pay-out shaft and set screwmeans to lock said collar to said pay-out shaft, including means formoving said peel bar relative to said one planar wall to adjust forlabels of varying lengths, and wherein said peel bar includes a bracketfor rotatably supporting a guide shaft and said backing ribbon and saidlabels passing between said guide shaft and said bracket, wherein saidone planar wall is formed with a slot in which said bracket is mountedand means for moving said bracket, and wherein said means for movingsaid bracket includes a threaded lead screw rotatably supported by saidcase and threadedly engaged with said bracket such that when said leadscrew is rotated said bracket moves in said slot to move said peel bar,wherein said guide shaft has a flexible outer layer and said brackethaving an edge for changing the direction of said ribbon to separatesaid labels from said ribbon, including means for modulating the energyradiated by said infrared transmitting means and means in said receivingmeans for detecting the modulated energy to discriminate between saidradiated energy and ambient radiation, and including switch meansconnected to said receiving means to energize said drive means.